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Sartaj Aziz's visit yet to be finalised

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Sartaz Aziz has indicated that he would be visiting New Delhi ''in a few days'', with no reassuring proposal for India - but insisting on calling the Pakistan-backed intruders in the Kargil sector as ''locals''.

Until last night (when he was talking to BBC Urdu) the date for his Delhi visit had not been conveyed to him. But he was sure it would take place in a few days.

In his interview, he sought to play down the infiltration of Islamic militants and disguised Pakistani army regulars into the Kargil sector by saying, ''It is a local issue and it should be locally settled. These people are fighting for their right of self-determination.''

In his view, India over-reacted (by resorting to air strikes in the Kargil sector).

It was six days ago that Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharief, in his talks with Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the hotline, had offered to send his foreign minister to New Delhi to defuse the situation. But Pakistani leaders' subsequent statement made it clear that Islamabad wanted to use the intrusion in Kargil to pressure India into talking about Kashmir on its (Pakistan's) own terms.

But India has agreed to receive Aziz on an unspecified date only to discuss the situation arising out of the intrusion in Kargil with Pakistan's backing and has made it clear that it would not stop air strikes until it clears the region of these intruders.

Observers believe that Aziz's visit is destined to fail but it could give Pakistan a propaganda advantage -- for trying to initiate a dialogue.

UNI

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